Road commission plow drivers were commended Wednesday by Lenawee County commissioners who said they have heard complaints about broken mail boxes and slippery roads during this winter’s record snow.

It is not practical to expect all county roads to be plowed clean and salted within hours of each snowstorm, said commission chairman John Tuckerman, R-Blissfield.

The county government has gone through a difficult process in recent years of trying to maintain services while revenue and budgets were being cut, Tuckerman said.

“I think the road commission has been in the same pickle,” he said. “I think they’re doing an exemplary job with the money they have.”

The many weekend storms and overtime shifts this winter are draining the road commission’s budget at a faster pace, said commissioner Ralph Tillotson, R-Adrian Twp.

People have complained about mailbox damage, he said. Standing next to one of the road commission’s large plow trucks would give people an idea how difficult it is to drive one with precision on the edge of a road, he said.

“They’ve done a great job,” said commissioner Jim Driskill, R-Hudson. He said he has been able to drive to Adrian from his home near the Hillsdale County border when he needed to this winter.

“I want to commend everyone who removes snow,” said commissioner Cletus Smith, R-Madison Twp. Lenawee County Airport staff have also put in extra work and long hours to maintain the runway. Helicopter ambulances have used the airport several times because of snow conditions, he said.

Smith said he has also contacted state Rep. Nancy Jenkins, R-Clayton, and the Michigan Association of Counties about improving warnings about road conditions during winter storms. Confusion over a mix of warnings and alerts used by county and city governments in Michigan and Ohio was discussed at a committee meeting last week.

“It’s going to be confusing if we don’t all go to the same thing,” Smith said. It is more serious with Lenawee County being on the border with Ohio, where county sheriffs can declare enforceable travel bans, he said.

The warnings or alerts need to be something the public can easily recognize and understand, said commissioner Terry Collins.